THERE
WAS NO CHEAPER WAY
By
Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
There
is no doubt in my mind that one of the greatest sins in the Christian
church today is the lack of Compassion. I am equally confident that
one of the secrets of strength in any organization, be it in the
private sector, the government or the church, is UNITY!
When believers are united in
their battle against sin, the world and the devil, there will be no
shortage of funds with which to finance the great operation called
EVANGELISM!
In the Early Church, the
Bible states that Believers sold houses and lands and brought the
proceeds from their sales to the apostles. It is no wonder that the
Church grew. There was no shortage of funds with which to implement
the tremendous undertaking that the Holy Spirit led them into.
The
Word of God records that the enemies of the Gospel feared the Early
Church prophets and warned: “These men that have turned the world
upside down are come here also.” (Acts 17:6). It is also well to
note that the preachers of the Gospel in the Early Church did not use
those gifts to enrich themselves and line their own pockets.
St. Peter stated: “Silver
and gold have I none, but such as I have, in the name of Jesus Christ
of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6). In my travels
across the world and in my dealings with many Christians, I am also
convinced that those who give to God are blessed of the Lord
spiritually, materially and also physically!
GIVE
AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN YOU!
The
Bible states: “Give
and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and
shaken together and running over, shall men unto your bosom. For with
the same measure that you mete withal, it shall be measured to you
again.” (Luke
6: 38)
I have also learned that those
who criticize preachers of the gospel for receiving funds to do the
work of God are usually the very stingy, selfish and carnal among us,
and those who criticize never give much, but those who give largely,
never criticize!
When
God purposed to deliver the world from sin, He sent His own Son to
DIE on Calvary's Cross. In fact, He
gave Heaven's Best.
If there had been a cheaper or easier way for Almighty God to bring
Salvation to sinful humanity, He would have employed it but there was
NO Easier Way. There was No Cheaper Way!
Since God gave His best
to redeem the world from the devil's evil power, how could anyone
believe that God could be satisfied with less than our Best.
The work of the Gospel is so
important that the Church of the Living God must not flinch from her
duty of doing her very best. Let each one of us, as Blood-washed,
Spirit-filled children of God obey the Great Commission in sharing
the glorious Gospel of Christ with the unreached masses!
May we be fervent in Prayer,
dedicated in sharing out testimony, unflinching in our stand for the
TRUTH of God's Word and totally compassionate, unselfish and generous
in our giving to Him!
GOD
WAS ANGRY WITH HIS PEOPLE!
God was angry with His
people because they gave Him only the culls! His Word states: “A
son honoureth his father and a servant his master: if then, I be a
father, where is Mine honour? And if I be a Master, where is My fear?
saith the Lord of hosts unto you priests, that despise My name. And
ye say, Wherein have we despised Thee?
“Ye offer polluted bread
upon Mine Altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted Thee? In that
ye say, the table of the Lord in contemptible. And if ye offer the
blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if ye offer the lame and
sick, is it not evil? Offer it now to your governor; will he be
pleased with thee, or accept thy person? Saith the Lord of hosts.
“And now, I pray you,
beseech God that He will be gracious unto us; this hath been by your
means: will he regard your persons? saith the Lord of hosts,”
(Malachi 1: 6-9)
God
isn't interested in our offerings to Him, unless He can have us.
He doesn't need the temporal
gifts unless He has our heart and life.
St. Paul puts in all in perspective as he commends the churches of
Macedonia:
“For
to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were
willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would
receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering
to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave
their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the word of God.” (2
Cor. 8:3-5)
JESUS
INVITES US ALL!
We must give ourselves to Him
Who gave Himself for us. How blessed we are that we are able to come
to JESUS with all our needs!
He said: “Come unto Me, all ye that
labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke
upon you, and learn of Me: for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is
light.” (Matt. 11:28-30)
The Bible invites us to
unload our heavy burdens onto the Great Burden Bearer Himself:
“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He
may exalt you in due time: casting all your care upon Him, for He
careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:6,7)
JESUS didn't mince words
when He spoke of dedication and putting His Will before our own:
“Whosoever will come after Me, let him DENY himself, and
take up His cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the
gospel's, the same shall save it.
“For what shall it profit
a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this
idolatrous and sinful generation: of him also the Son of man shall be
ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy
angels.” (Mark 8: 34-38)
Again our Lord Jesus
stated: “And whosoever doth not bear his CROSS, and come after Me
cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:27).
Jesus
spoke of dedication, consecration and devotion to Him. His Gospel is
not for immature complainers. It is for real men and women of Faith
and Action.
Amen.
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